Puppetry

"A Puppet" Is Any Inanimate Object That Takes On Human Characteristics when manipulated by humans. A puppet can be a spoon with a painted face, or a large, elegantly-designed figure. "There is no limit to the subject matter available for expression with puppets. They can say things in a way impossible through other communication media.

"A Puppet" Is Simply A Megaphone for the Christian similar to literature, radio, and television. These mediums are only communicative tools, hardly ends in themselves. A puppet is primarily a unique device to better communicate the ongoing church program and ministry.

"A Puppet" Is An Excellent Communication Tool. "The great versatility of the puppet makes it an excellent communicative tool for the church. A puppet may entertain, promote, announce, teach, and train almost in the same breath.

"Puppets" Are Loved By Children, but their value in the church extends far beyond children's work. Youth are often the core of a puppet ministry with their imagination and creativity. Adults are fascinated and interested in the magic of a puppet. Senior adults can be important components in the puppet ministry by serving as puppeteers or by constructing puppets.

Social And Racial Barriers Can Also Be Crossed By Puppets, making them particularly suitable to programs of outreach. A puppet's ability to immediately command attention permits it to point-blank fire the message of Jesus Christ to the lost - many of whom close their senses to other means of communication.

"Puppets" Can Attract Attention, make announcements, promote programs or activities, entertain, teach, and train. The techniques involved in these areas can be applied to other types of material a puppet may be called on to communicate.

"Attract attention. - The color, hyperactive spirit, and overall fascinating qualities give puppets the ability to immediately attract attention. How long that attention is sustained depends on the audience, subject matter, adeptness of the puppeteers, and other factors.

"Puppets" Can Introduce Program Or Speakers. They can introduce characters or situations for emphasis in Bible study. They can present basic arguments to be probed in Church Training.

"Puppets" Are Excellent Tools For Outreach. They can attract new members to the bus ministry. They can perform in a shopping center and in a few seconds draw attention to the church and its program and total ministry.

Puppets are a Natural Medium for Announcements. - The puppet's ability to attract attention makes it a natural medium through which to make announcements or do promotion. The puppet's unique ability to plunge to the basis of a situation without offending groups or individuals makes it an excellent tool for promotion. "Puppets have been used successfully in worship services on Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evening to announce church activities. In fact, anywhere announcements and promotion are needed, the puppet is a viable tool for the doing.

Puppets are Entertaining.- To a certain extent, puppets always entertain. As a result, they are a natural and lively addition to banquets, fellowships, and socials. They can tell jokes, pantomime music, and generally fit pleasantly into any atmosphere where people want to relax and have fun.

"Puppets" Can Emcee banquets or variety shows, or work with a master of ceremonies. Puppets can represent the church at school and community activities. They can perform for clubs and other civic organizations. They can appear on local television shows, or on their own show at a cable television station. This ability permits them to entertain and at the same time be a vibrant means of outreach.

Teaching.- One of the best ways puppets can serve the church is as teaching aides. "Puppets can tell Bible stories or modern parables in many formats. They can teach Bible verses, songs, and basic music fundamentals to children. "With youth and adults they can state - and restate - various types of information. They can review material that has been taught. Their review will of course be from a puppet's point of view, which can be entertaining as well as enlightening.

Training.- Any training material that can be presented verbally can be communicated by puppets. Certain types of nonverbal techniques can also be presented through puppets. They can introduce a training session by portraying how something should not be done. The session corrects their errors. They can appear periodically through the session and get the procedures all mixed up. The audience or leader corrects them and in doing so reviews the material."⁹

For In-Depth, Detailed Guidance on the use of puppetry, read Using Puppetry in the Church, edited by Everett Robertson. The guide includes how, why, where, and when to use puppets; rehearsal, production, and teaching techniques; manipulation and maintenance of puppets; scenery, props, costumes, lights, and sound; various patterns for puppet construction, puppet stages, and a comprehensive bibliography. (Available on this site)

You will also want to read, and use for performance, a collection of Puppet Scripts for Use at Church, selected and edited by Everett Robertson. This is a collection of eighty-two scripts, including scripts for church program promotion, Bible study, and worship, scripts of a seasonal and general nature, and scripts for fun and fellowship. (Available on this site)


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